City · Missouri
Potosi, Missouri
Potosi, city, in Washington County, Missouri. Potosi had 2,568 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,538 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,544 (±20). GEOID 2959330.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,568
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,538 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,544 ±20
Median household income
$39,846
±$11,942 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$110,100
±$25,836 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$788
±$59 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Potosi and what county is it in?
Potosi is a city in Washington County, Missouri. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 1,090 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Potosi, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,568 people lived in Potosi on July 1, 2025, up 0.5% since 2020, slower than Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 2,538 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,544 (±20).
| Measure | Potosi | Washington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,544 ±20 | 23,470 | −64 |
| Households | 1,059 ±111 | 8,920 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.23 | 2.52 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,248 ±132 | 10,734 | no clear change |
Potosi's population since 2000
From 2,662 in 2000 to 2,568 in 2025: down 3.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Potosi as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Potosi?
The median resident of Potosi is 34.7 years old; 23.6% are under 18 and 18.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 9.7%.
| Measure | Potosi | Washington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 ±4.1 | 40.7 | −6.8 |
| Under 18 years | 23.6% ±5.5 pts | 23.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.3% ±4.6 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±4.9 pts | 51.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.4% ±1.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.3% ±7.0 pts | 91.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.5 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.7% ±6.4 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.8% ±1.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.1% ±2.7 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 18.3% ±5.2 pts | 23.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.1% ±3.9 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.0% ±5.1 pts | 85.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 9.0% ±4.1 pts | 11.7% | −6.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.9% ±2.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.2% ±7.8 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Potosi earn?
Half of Potosi's 1,059 households earn less than $39,846 a year (±$11,942), against $56,043 in Washington County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $45,190 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Potosi | Washington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $39,846 ±$11,942 | $56,043 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $54,557 ±$9,147 | $75,592 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,651 ±$3,382 | $29,137 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.0% ±9.6 pts | 17.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 44.9% ±23.3 pts | 25.5% | +27.6 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 31.2% ±9.1 pts | 20.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±2.9 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.8% ±4.7 pts | 82.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Potosi?
Owners occupy 50.0% of Potosi's occupied homes and renters 50.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $110,100 by its owner (±$25,836). The median renter pays $788 a month including utilities, and 34.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Potosi | Washington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $110,100 ±$25,836 | $129,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $788 ±$59 | $684 | +$175 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.7% ±14.7 pts | 34.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $798 ±$174 | $1,102 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.0% ±10.1 pts | 78.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 50.0% ±10.1 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,248 ±132 | 10,734 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.7% ±6.8 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.3% ±8.6 pts | 67.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% ±2.3 pts | 27.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5% ±2.3 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.5% ±4.4 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 15.1% ±7.0 pts | 10.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Potosi building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Potosi in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Missouri.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Potosi work and get to work?
86.0% of Potosi's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 30.7 minutes.
| Measure | Potosi | Washington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.9% ±6.8 pts | 51.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% ±3.7 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.0% ±6.4 pts | 81.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.2% ±4.4 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.2% ±5.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.7 min ±6.2 | 38.4 min | +9.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Potosi?
1 census tract lies mostly in Potosi, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4603Washington County | 4,380 | $49,750 |
| Tract 4604Washington County | 4,280 | $53,581 |
| Tract 4601.01Washington County | 3,711 | $46,507 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Potosi) · Census block assignment files
How does Potosi compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Potosi is the 6,822nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 208th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Potosi ranks 380th of 416 places in Missouri with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 208th | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 217th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 193rd | 420 |
| Median household income | 380th | 416 |
| Per capita income | 365th | 420 |
| Median home value | 331st | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 246th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 62nd | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 385th | 404 |
| Median age | 321st | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 376th | 418 |
| Travel time to work | 37th | 420 |
Potosi's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Potosi with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Potosi?
19 of the 57 figures for Potosi on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Potosi are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Potosi.